Record-controlled statistical punching machine



Aug. 28, 1956 A. THOMAS EFAL 2,760,577

RECORD-CONTROLLED STATISTICAL PUNCHING MACHINE Filed June 16, 1953 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 OQO Inventors ARTHf R THOfi/As FWEDER/ K S RHDDES Aug. 28, 1956 A. THOMAS ETAL 2,760,577

RECORD-CONTROLLED STATISTICAL. PUNCHING MACHINE Filed June 16, 1955 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 8 5.9 60 L59 06 94a 93a 92b .99 9397 Inventors A RTHuR THOHA S FE DER/CK S. RHODES Attorney A. THOMAS ET AL Aug. 28, 1956 RECORD-CONTROLLED STATISTICAL PUNCHING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 16, 1953 A Inventors RTHUR THO EED MAS Attorney Aug. 28, 1956 A. THOMAS ET AL RECORD-CONTROLLED STATISTICAL PUNCHING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 16, 1955 Inventors fMTHuR THO/1A S 7IPEDEIC K S RHauEi A H'n'ney Aug. 28, 1956 A. THOMAS ETAL 2,760,577

RECORD-CONTROLLED STATISTICAL PUNCHING MACHINE Filed June 16, 1953 12 Sheets-Sheet s Inventors ART HUR THoMAs FJVEDERICK 5- RH D S Alforney Aug. 28, 1956 A. THOMAS EIAL RECORD-CONTROLLED STATISTICAL PUNCHING MACHINE l2 SheetsSheet 7 Filed June 16, 1955 Inventors R THO HA 6 ARTHU FREDERICK RHODES A itorney I Aug. 28, 1956 A. THOMAS EI'AL CORD-CONTROLLED STATISTICAL PUNCHING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed June 16, 1953 Inventors ARTHUR THOMAS TREDER/ K 5- RHODES V Attofney Aug. 28, 1956 A. THOMAS ETAL RECORD-CONTROLLED STATISTICAL PUNCHING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Shae t 9 Filed June 16, 1953 Inuen'tors TH MAS ARTHU FEEDER/0K 5. RHODES Aug. 28, 1956 A. THOMAS ETAL RECORD-CONTROLLED STATISTICAL PUNCHING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed June 16, 1953 lnv entors THO/V14 5 3 RHODES ARTHUR Fizz: safe If Attorney Aug. 28, 1956 A. THOMAS ETAL RECORD-CONTROLLED STATISTICAL PUNCH ING MACHINE Filed June 16, 1953 12 Sheets-Sheet l 1 1n ventors ARTuuR THBMAS FREDERICK RHODES Aug. 28, 1956 A. THOMAS ETAL RECORD-CONTROLLED STATISTICAL PUNCHING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed June 16, 1955 my 5 \S Q Q5 E mQ Inventors THOMAS RHuDCS ARTH R FREDER/c K Attorney UnitedStates Patent RECORD-CONTROLLED STATISTICAL PUNCHING MACHINE Arthur Thomas, Wallington, and Frederick Sidney Rhodes, Thornton Heath, England, assignors to Powers- Samas Accounting Machines Limited, London, England, a British company Application June 16, 1953, Serial No. 362,104

Claims priority, application Great Britain August 14, 1952 12 Claims. (Cl. 164-114) This invention relates to statistical machines and in particular to a statistical machine having a set-up mechanism including columns of set-up members of which the set-up members of each column are displaceable relatively one to the other to represent data sensed from a statistical record card.

In such machines, as is well understood in the art, perforations formed in a record card are often employed to control functions of the machine and in one way of efiecting control in this manner each card is fed into a first sensing device which senses the control perforations and then into a second sensing device which senses dataindicating perforations.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an apparatus whereby only one sensing device is employed both to sense the data-indicating perforations in a card and to effect sensing as the result of which a function of the machine can be controlled.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such apparatus in a machine by which data is sensed from record cards and is recorded by perforations formed in a tape.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide in a statistical machine in which a tape is perforated in accordance with data sensed from a statistical record card, apparatus whereby time may be saved by the simultaneous punching in the tape of a shift signal and the dataindicating signal which succeeds the shift signal.

According to the present invention there is provided in a statistical machine apparatus comprising a set-up mechanism including columns of set-up members of which the set-up members of each column are displaceable relatively one to the other to represent data sensed from a statistical record card, a first column and a second column of testing elements successively to test each column of set-up members and simultaneously to test adjoining columns of set-up members, a support for the testing elements, means to move the support stepwise to bring the two columns of testing elements into testing relation with successive columns of set-up members, actuating means to effect relative movement between the testing elements and the set-up members to effect a testing operation, and impulse-transmitting means actuated by the testing elements of said first column to control a function of the machine.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to a machine by which data is sensed from a statistical record card and is recorded by perforations formed in a tape, such a machine being illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates the relationship between data recorded in a statistical record card and in a tape,

Figs. 2A and 2B together are a top plan of a machine embodying the invention,

ice

Fig. 3 is a pictorial view of the machine viewed in the general direction of arrow III, Fig. 2A,

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the testing device for the set-up mechanism of the machine,

Fig. 5 is a section through the testing device,

Fig. 6 is an elevation, partly in section, of the end of the testing device opposite that shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a view looking in the direction of arrow VII, Fig. 2A, and shows some of the driving mechanism,

Fig. 8 is a view looking in the direction of arrow VIII, Fig. 2A, and shows some of the actuating mechanism for the testing device,

Fig. 9 diagrammatically illustrates part of the apparatus for translating data from a two-hole to a five-hole code,

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the tape-punching mecha- IllSlI'l,

Fig. 11 illustrates mechanism for feeding the tape through the tape punching mechanism,

Fig. 12 illustrates selector mechanism to control the tape feeding mechanism and certain ones of the tape punches,

Fig. 13 is a pictorial view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 12 and of some elements which co-operate therewith, and

Fig. 14 is a plan of a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 13.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a statistical record card C with perforations formed therein illustrative of each of the characters which, according to a twohole code, can be recorded on the card. Above the card are shown the characters which, by means of perforations P, can be recorded but it is to be understood that any one of the characters shown can, by use of the code, be punched in any one of the vertical columns, of which the card illustrated has forty, of data-indicating positions. It will also be observed that, as is customary, each vertical column comprises twelve data-indicating positions shown in the card, reading from top to bottom thereof, as nominally representative of the numbers 10, 11 and 0 to 9 inclusive. Any one of the figures 0 to 11 inclusive, referred to hereinafter as a figure, is recorded by a single perforation formed in the appropriate dataindicating position of a column while a character of the alphabet, referred to hereinafter as a letter, is represented by two perforations of which one is punched in position 1O, 11, or 0 and the other is punched in one of the positions 1 to 9. Thereis however, one exception to the two-hole punching and that is when holes are punched in a column in the 0 and 9 positions thereof. In this instance, the character represented is not a letter but is a special character such, for example, as an ampersand and although it is represented by two holes it is, for the purposes of recording it in the tape T, considered as a figure. The manner in which the tape punch unit accommodates this exception will be described below.

In the upper part of .Figure 1 is shown a portion of a tape T in which the charactetrs shown on the card C are recorded by perforations according to a well-known five-hole code. The figure shift and letter shift signals for controlling a tape-translating machine, such as a teleprinter, are also shown punched in the tape, and, as is customary with the five-hole code being employed, a figure shift signal is represented by four selected holes in the tape and a letter shift signal is represented by five holes.

When the tape is fed to the translating machine it travels in the direction indicated by the arrow D thus it Will be understood that, as is illustrated in Fig. 1,.following a figure shift signal all data is representative of figures until the letter shiftsignal is reached and thereafter all data is representative of letters until the next figure shift signal occurs. Accordingly, the figure shift signals and letter shift signals alternate along the length of the .tape.

The embodiment of the present invention now to be described provides a new means whereby the alternate figure and letter shift signals can be punched in the tape under the control of a statistical record card bearing data a record of which is to be made in the tape.

Referring to Figs. 2A to 14, the machine comprises a card sensing unit CS, Fig. 2A, a data-coding unit DC, Fig. 2B, and a tape punching unit TP all of which are driven by any suitable means such as an electric motor not shown.

Record cards are contained in a magazine 1, Figs. 2A.

and 3, from. which they are fed one at a time in known manner to a'vertically reciprocable card chamber, not shown, which by means forming no part of the present invention raises the card into co-operation with a set-up mechanism of known construction comprising columns of set-up members 2, Fig. 3, each column as is customary comprising a set-up member for each data-indicating position in a vertical column of a record card. The set-up members 2 of each column are displaceahle vertically relative one to the other so that when a card' is raised into co-operation therewith those set-up. members which are aligned with data-indicating perforations in the card pass through the perforations and those not so aligned are displaced vertically. According, the set-up members which have not been vertically displaced represent the data recorded in the card by the perforations formed therein. The timing of the card chamber-operating mechanism is such that the chamber retains a card in raised position while a testing device described below tests the set-up members column by column.

According to the present invention testing of the set-up members 2 is effected by a first column 3 of sensing elements and a second column 4 of sensing elements, Figs. 5 and 6, mounted one in advance of the other in a support comprising a pair of end frames 5 carried by a carriage 6, Fig. 4, movable stepwise in known manner along a rack 7 under control of escapement mechanism forming no part of the present invention.

The first column 3 comprises for each data-indicating position in a vertical column of a card a testing pin 8, a member 9 herein referred to as a hatchet pin, and an actuator pin 10, and the second column 4 comprises for each data-indicating position in a vertical column of a card a testing pin 11, a hatchet pin 12; and an actuator pin 13. The testing pins 8, 11 are supported by a vertically reciprocable carrier comprising a bar 14 reciprocable vertically in slots formed in the end frames 5 and plates 15, 16 movable with the bar 14 and the testing pins are urged downwards, as viewed in Fig. 5 by springs 17, 18 respectively. The bar 14 is supported by arms. 19 pivoted on a spindle 20 mounted in the end frames 5 and to one end of the bar 14 is secured a block 21, Fig. 6, having a horizontal slot in which is located the tongue portion of a tongued plate 22 carried by a shaft 23 rockable in frame plates 24, Figs. 2A and 7, which support the testing mechanism for sensing the set-up members 2.

Reciprocation of the bar 14 is efiected' from a rear main shaft 25 which is driven from a continuously rotated driving shaft 26, Fig. 2A, through gearing 27, 28, 29 whereby the shaft 25 is also continuously rotated. Secured to the shaft 25 is a clutch dog 30, Fig. 7, with which cooperates a clutch pawl 31' carried by. a clutchplate 32 freely mounted on the shaft 25. Secured to the clutch plate 32 for movement therewith is an eccentric 33 provided with an eccentric strap 34 the end of which is pivoted on a stud 35 carried by a lever 36 pivoted on a fixed shaft '37. The lever 36 is connected at 38 to a link 39 which is, also connected to an arm, 40 secured to the shaft 23. Thus when the clutch 30, 31,

32 is operative the link 39 rocks the arm 40 and shaft 23 thereby'causing' the bar 14 to'be reciprocated vertically to eifect sensing of the set-up members 2. The block 21 is slidable lengthwise of the tongued plate 22 as the carriage 6 is moved along therack 7 and the shaft 25 is rotated at a speed such that the columns of sensing elements 3, 4fsense. the columns of set-up members 2. in

succession, the second column 4 of sensing elements sensing a column of set-up members in the sensingv cycle next following the cycle during which it was sensed by the first column 3 of sensing elements.

The hatchet pins 9, 12 are supportedv by. fixed plates 41, 42 and are located in slots formed in the plates and in which they are rockable lengthwise by a shutter 43, Fig. 5, supported by straps 44 secured to arms 45'rockable with a rocking shaft 46.

The manner of operation of the hatchet pins 9, 12 and shutter 43 is well understood in the art and is as described in British patent specification No. 401,012. In the machine herein described, however, the shaft 46 is rocked by an arm 47 secured to the shaft, see Fig. 6, the arm 47 carrying a stud 48 which at predetermined intervals is engaged by a shutter plate 49, Fig. 2A, sup-' ported by a shaft 50 rockablein the frame plates 24. The shaft 50 carries an arm 51, Fig. 8, to which is connected a link 52 operation of which is controlled by a cam, not shown, on the rear shaft 25.

When a hatchet pin 9 is raised by its testing pin 8 the actuator pin, 10' engaged by the hatchet pin is raised andeffects clockwise movement, as viewed, in Fig. 5, of a bail actuator 53 of which one is provided for each of the pins 8 except two thereof to be described below.

The shift signals described above are, according to the present invention, initiated by the elements of the first column 3 ofsensing elements and for this purpose the bail actuators 53 co-operate with one or, other of two angularly movable bails 54, 55, Figs-5 and 6, of which bail 54 is engageable by the bail actuators for the sensingv elements for the 1- to 8 positions and hail 55 is engageable by the sensing elements for the 11 and 10 positions. Thus if in a vertical column of a card there is punched a single data-indicating perforation such perforation is representative of a figure-and only one of the bails 54, 55,

as appropriate will be rocked by bail actuator 53. On the other hand, if the vertical column of the card has two data-indicating perforations one in the ll or 10 positions and the other in one of the 1 to 8 positions, both bails 54, 55 will be rocked.

Each bail is of inverted U-form and is freely mounted on a fixed spindle 56 supported by a plate 57 on the carriage 6. and. the bail actuators- 53 for the respective bails are also freely. mounted on the spindle 56 being disposed between the portions of the bails. which embrace the spindle S6.

Rocking of the bails 54, 55 causes them respectively to actuate an impulse transmitting means, shown in the drawings as Bowden wires 58, 59, by which an impulse is transmitted to the tape punching unit TP to controlv the functioning thereof as described below.

It willbe understood from the foregoing description. that as thecarriage 6 is moved stepwise column by column over the columns of set-up members 2, the first column 3 of sensing elements senses a column of set-up members 2 in the sensing cycle preceding that during which the column is sensed by the second column 4 of sensing elements. Accordingly, the impulse transmitting means 58, 59' are actuated by the sensing elements of the first column 3 to control the function of the tape punching unit TP as required on the subsequentsensing of the same column of set-up membersby the sensing elements of the second column 4.

The data translating device for translatingidata from a the two-hole code into the five-hole code is indicated in Fig. 2B as the unit DC which forms no part ofthe present invention but consists primarily of slotted code-bars raw-605577 5 60, Fig. 9, of known construction with which co-operate rocking bars 61 carrying members 62to co-operatewith toothed bars 63 which through plates 64 rock rods 65, Figs. 9 and 10, and so effect selection of a first row 66 of punches by interpolating vertical bars 67 between the ends of the punches and a punch-operating member 68. The said first row 66 of punches is provided for punching in the tape the data sensed from the set-up members 2 by the second column 4 of sensing elements.

The tape punching unit TP is driven by a shaft 25a which is a continuation of the continuously rotated shaft 25 being connected thereto by a 1:1 gearing indicated generally at 69, Fig. 2B. The punch-operating member 68 comprises a sliding block movement of which is effected from the shaft 25a through a Geneva driving mechanism indicated generically at 70, Fig. 10.

As can be seen from Fig. 10, the punch unit also includes a second row 71 of punches and this second row, which is arranged in advance of the first row, considered in the direction of movement of the tape, is employed, when necessary, to punch the figure and letter shift signals in the tape. The rows 66, 71 of punches each consists of six punches of which one is employed to perforate in the tape T the register holes by which the tape is fed past the punches by a pin wheel 72 secured to a shaft 73. The punches of both rows co-operate with a die-plate 74 and have portions 75 of D-section to cooperate with plates 76, 77 which respectively act to restore the operated punches and restrict the extent of withdrawal thereof from co-operation with the die-plate, the plates 76 and 77 being carried by the punch-operating member 68.

The pinwheel 72 is rotated stepwise in synchronism with the normal stepwise movements of the carriage 6 and operation of the pinwheel is efiected from the continuously rotating shaft 25a by a continuously reciprocating link 78, Fig. 11, which is carried by an eccentric 79 on the shaft 25a. Near its upper end the link 78 is connected with a pawl-carrying arm 80, rockable about the axis of the shaft 73. The connection between the link 78 and arm 80 is a lost-motion connection consisting of a slot 81 in the link and a pin 82 on the arm 80, the pin 82 being located in the slot 81. On the pawl-carrying arm 80 is pivoted a feed pawl 83 urged by a spring, not shown, towards the teeth of a ratchet wheel 85 secured to the shaft 73. The pawl-carrying arm 80 has a tail 86 which is engaged by a normally active latch 87 secured to a rocking spindle 88 mounted in a frame plate 89. A spring 90 acts to retain the latch in its active position. The-stroke of the link 78 is such that it is capable of operating the arm 80 to cause the pawl 83 to rotate the ratchet wheel 85 by two tooth increments but while data only is being punched in the tape T the latch 87 restrains the-movement of the arm 80' so that the pawl 83 only effects feeding of the ratchet wheel 85 by single tooth increments, the rest of the stroke of link 78 then being absorbed by the lost-motion device. Two-tooth feeding of the ratchet wheel 85 is permitted, as will be described below, only under control of the impulse transmitting means 58 59.

The second row 71 of punches'is conditioned for operation by the punch-operating member 68 by selector mechanism, Figs. 10, 12 and 13, controlled by the impulse transmitting means 58, 59, said selector mechanism including two slotted code bars 91, 92 supported for lengthwise sliding movement to function in the manner customary with such bars. The code bars are urged to the right as viewed in Fig. 13 by springs, not shown, and are normally retained in an inactive position against the action of said springs by latches formed by bell-cranks 93, 94, Fig. 13, freely pivoted on a spindle 95 and urged to their latching positions by springs 96. The bellcranks 93, 94 are provided with wings 93a, 94d forcooperation with the impulse transmitting means 58, 59 which, on operation thereof, cause the bell-cranks to be *rocked -counter-clopkwis, as tviewed in Fig. 13', so that the latchesare moved-out of'engagemenfwith the code bars thus permitting movement of the bars to the right as viewed in Fig. 13. The arrangement of the slots in the code bars 91, 92 is such that when only one of the latches 93,-94 is released the signal initiated is a figure shift signal but when both latches are operated the "signal initiated is a letter shift signal.

*If during a cycle of the shaft 2511 one of the code bars 91, 92'has been permitted to move to its active position, to the right as viewed in Fig. 13, at the appropriate time it is restored to its inactive position, in which -it is latched by the-bell-crank 93,94 appropriate thereto, by a restoring bar 92a carried by a bell-crank 92b freely mounted on a pivot 92c." A link 92d is pivoted to one arm of bell-crank 92b and to an arm 92:: which latter is pivoted to a bracket 92f'and carries a roller 92g which engages a-cam 92h on the shaft 25a. The bell-crank 92b is rocked against the action of a spring 92k once per cycle of the shaft-25a and so restores either of the code bars should it have been moved to its active position.

Co-operating with the code bars 91, 92 are three testing bars 97, 98', 99 of-which the bar 97 represents letters and the bars 98, 99 respectively represent figures and special characters which for the purpose of shift signals are considered as figures. The testing bars are pivoted on a fixed spindle 100 and' each has pivoted thereto an interponent 101 which, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, is positioned beneath a square-shaped lateral abutment 102, 103 on one or other of two actuators 104, 105 pivoted on a spindle 106 ,carried' in a frame plate 107. The interponents 101 are connected to'their testing bars by springs -108'and are rockable about their pivots 109 by a restoring'element 110 carried by a slide 111 slidable lengthwise on studs 112, 113 by a two-armed lever 114 pivoted on a spindle 115 mounted'on the frame plate 107. One arm of lever 114 is slotted to engage a stud 116 on slide 111 and the other arm is'slotted to engage a pin 117 carried by a" rocking arm 118 pivoted at119 to a further frame plate 120. The rocking arm carries a roller 121 which is a follower for'a cam 122 secured to the shaft 25a.

The actuators 1'04, 105' are arranged, as described below, respectively to operate toothed members 123, 124, Fig; 13, secured to aspindle 125 "rotatable in the frame plate 107 the spindle also having secured thereto a plu rality of paddle elements 126 which extend across the upper edges of punch conditioning bars 127, Fig. 10, one for each punch of the second row 71. Alternate ones of the paddle elements are arranged to operate each of the bars 127 and the others of the paddle elements are cut away so that they operate only a predetermined five of the six bars 127. Each time the spindle 125 is moved angularly by one of the actuators 104, 105 it is moved one paddle element stage so that the bars 127 are operated alternately to interpolate bars 200 pivoted thereto between the ends of the punches of the second row 71 and the punch-operating member 68 so that on the next operation of the member 68 the rows 66, 71 of punches are simultaneously operated thereby. For each bar 200 is a latch 201 pivoted at 202 and urged towards its bar 200 by a spring 203 supported by a guide block 204 in which the punch-operating member is slidable. On interpolation of a bar 200 between the end of the punch with which it co-ope'rates and the member 68 a tooth 205 on the bar is engaged by the latch 201 for the bar so that the bar is retained in its interpolated position by the latch until the member 68 is operated to efiect the next punching operation.

When the punch conditioning bars 127 are actuated by a paddle 126 the actuation is elfected by the paddle being moved over humps 206 on the bars 127 thus but for the action of the latches 201 the springs 207 would restore the bars 200 to their inactive positions before operation of the member 68. The latches 201 and teeth 205 are so designed that the bars 200 remain latched until just after perforation of the tape is completed but become delatched through the action of member 68 just before the latter completes its punching stroke. Thus before the return stroke of member 68 is commenced the springs 207 restore the bars 200 to their inactive positions and the bars remain inactive until the next operation of the spindle 125.

It will be understood that it will often be required to effect a number of punching operations with the first row 66 of punches without the intervention of a shift signal. To accommodate this requirement the actuators are respectively provided with pins 128, 129 which engage in slots formed in the ends of arms 130, 131 freely mounted on the spindle 125 and carrying feed pawls 132, 133 which rest on the peripheries of the toothed members 123, 124 to effect angular movement of the toothed members when an actuator is conditioned to effect operation of its arm 130 or 131. In the embodiment shown in the drawings there are six paddle elements equi-spaced round the axis of the spindle 12S and the teeth of the toothed members 123, 124 are disposed at intervals of 120 degrees, with the teeth on the two members, considered together, so disposed as to be arranged at intervals of 60 degrees about the axis of the spindle 125. Owing to this arrangement of the teeth the members 123, 124 are operated alternately.

The actuators 104, 105 have operating means common thereto, the operating means being continuously operated in synchronism with the normal stepwise movements of the carriage 6 by an eccentric 134 secured to the shaft 25a. Co-operating with the eccentric 134 is a connecting strap 135 connected to a restoring member 136 pivoted at 137 to the frame plate 107 and carrying a stud 138 which is common to and extends beneath each of the testing bars 97, 98, 99 so that on the upward stroke of the strap 135 any of the testing bars which has dropped into aligned slots in the code bars 91, 92 is restored to its inactive position. Normally the interponents 101 are inactive and their upper ends rest against the right-hand side, as viewed in Fig. 12, of the square-shaped abutments 102, 103. When, however, a testing bar occupies the position shown in Fig. 12 it drops relative to the actuator appropriated thereto so that the interponent 101 carried by it is moved by its spring 108 to the position illustrated in Fig. 12 in which position it is disposed beneath its abutment.

As can be seen from Fig. 12 the actuators are pulled downwards against a stop 139 by springs 140, thus when the strap 135 rises a stud 141 on an operating member 142 is moved upwards away from the actuators 104, 105 leaving the actuators in position against stop 139. The member 142 is also pivoted at 137 and is connected to the strap 135 so that it is moved simultaneously with the restoring member 136.

During the upward movement of the restoring member 136, the interponent which has been moved beneath its abutment is caused to engage the abutment and so raise the actuator appropriated thereto to a position at which the feed pawl operated thereby is disposed in feeding relation with a tooth of its toothed member as illustrated in Fig. 13. Accordingly, on the next down stroke of the strap 135 the operating member 142 depresses the upwardly extending actuator so that the feed pawl operated thereby rotates its toothed member by a one-tooth increment and so effects angular movement of the spindle 125 to cause a paddle element 126 to rock the appropriate punch conditioning bars 127. The restoring element 110 is operated by the cam 122 to restore the activated interponent at a time between the top and bottom of the stroke of the strap 135 while the lifted actuator is prevented from returning to the stop 139 by engagement of its feed pawl with a tooth of the toothed member to be operated thereby.

During cycles of shaft 25a when no impulses are received by the selector mechanism from the impulse transmitting means 58, 59 the restoring member 136 and operating member 142 continue to operate normally but at these times none of the interponents is positioned beneath an abutment and the actuators remain in position against the stop 139 so that no angular movement of spindle is effected.

On operation of the selector mechanism the tape feeding means is conditioned for a two-tooth feeding movement. secured to the spindle 125. A cam roller 144 co-operates with the cam 143 and is carried by an arm 145 secured to a rocking spindle 146 mounted in a bearing 147 on the frame plate 89, Fig. 11. Also secured to the spindle 146 is a latch releasing arm 148 which engages a stud 149 carried by a lever 150 secured to the rocking spindle 88 to which the latch 87 is secured. Thus on angular movement of the spindle 125 the cam 143 depresses the lat-ch releasing arm 148 so causing the latch 87 to be disengaged from the tail 86 of the pawl carrying arm 80. Accordingly, the link 78 during its next feeding stroke after freeing of the arm 80 causes the arm to move the feed pawl 83 two ratchet tooth stages and the tape T is thus moved to a position such that during the next operation of the punch-operating member 68 both the first and the second rows of punches effect punching of the tape and the shift signal is punched into the tape simultaneously with the punching of the row of data-indicating perforations next succeeding the signal thus avoiding the necessity of employing an operation of the punch unit solely to punch the shift signal.

Referring to Fig. l, it will be observed that, as mentioned above, an ampersand or other special character is represented by two perforations in the record card. As previously described, however, although this character is recorded by two perforations it is considered, for the purpose of recording it in the tape T, as a figure and in the tape follows a figure shift signal as shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 1, the perforations representative of the special character are punched in the O and 9 positions of a column of the record card and in the first column 3 of sensing elements the actuator pins 10 for these two positions do not operate bail actuators 53 but respectively operate Bowden wires 151, 152, Figs. 5, 6, and 13. The Bowden wires 151, 152 co-operate with bell-cranks 153, 154 pivoted on a spindle 155 to operate wires or thin rods 156, 157 which are urged towards the bell-cranks by springs 158, Fig. 13. The rods 156, 157 respectively are arranged to operate Bowden wires 159, 160 to elfect operation of the bell-cranks 93, 94.

The rod 156 is operated by the Bowden wire 151 which is that which imparts an impulse when the card has a perforation in the 0 position of a column and as can be seen from Fig. 14 the rod consists of two parts displaced axially and connected by a plate 161, one part of the rod being connected to the plate by a pin 162 and slot 163 connection and the other connected to the plate by a pivot pin 164. The plate 161 has a down-turned portion which is engaged by a latch 165 formed as a bell-crank pivoted at 166 to a support plate 167 and the bell-crank is also connected to the thin rod 157 by a connection formed by a slot 168, Fig. 14, in the bell-crank and a pin 169 projecting from the rod 157.

In operation, if only the rod 156 is operated the plate 161 rocks about the pin 164 so that only the Bowden wire 159 is operated and such operation rocks the latch 93 so that the code bar 91 is moved to its active position and the testing bar 98 drops into aligned slots in the code bars to initiate, through its interponent 101 and actuator 105, a figure shift signal should the last signal initiated have been a letter shift signal. If, however, only the rod 157 is operated the axial movement of the rod rocks the latch 165 to the chain-line position shown in Fig. 14 so that the rod 156 is disconnected from the plate 161. Continued movement of the rod 157 op- This is effected by a six-point cam 143, Fig. 10,

erates its Bowden wire 160, the rod 156 remaining inactive because of the action of a spring 170, and so effects rocking of the latch 94 to permit lengthwise movement of the code-bar 92 and the consequent effecting, should the last initiated shift signal have been a letter shift signal, of a figure shift signal through operation of testing bar 99 and the interponent 101 carried thereby.

The arrangement of the wires 151, 152 is such that when a signal is transmitted by both Bowden wires 151, 152 to indicate the special character, the Wire 152 is operated slightly in advance of the wire 151 so that the plate 161 is delatched before the impulse transmitted by wire 151 is applied to the rod 157. Thus only the Wire 160 is operated thereby releasing the latch 94 and permitting code bar 92 to move to its active position so that, through testing bar 99 and actuator 105, a figure shift signal is initiated if the last signal was a letter shift signal.

It will readily be understood by those skilled in the art that while in the specific embodiment of the invention herein described the functions controlled are relative to tape feeding and punching whereby time is saved when shift signals are to be punched in the tape, the impulse transmitting means can readily be adapted to control other functions of statistical machines operating under control of statistical record cards and in which there is employed a set-up mechanism having columns of set-up members of which the columns are tested individually.

What we claim is:

1. In a statistical machine, apparatus comprising a set-up mechanism including columns of set-up members of which the set-up members of each column are displaceable relatively one to the other to represent data sensed from a statistical record card, a first column and a second column of testing elements successively to test each column of set-up members and simultaneously to test adjoining columns of set-up members, a support for the testing elements, means to move the support stepwise to bring the two columns of testing elements into testing relation with successive columns of set-up members, actuating means to effect relative movement between the testing elements and the set-up members to effect a testing operation, a device operable subsequent to each testing operation of said first and second columns, a first conditioning means co-operating with said device and connected with said second column for operation thereby to condition said device to perform a first function thereof subsequent to each said testing operation, and a second conditioning means co-operating with said device and connected with said first column for operation thereby to condition said device to perform a second function thereof simultaneously with a first function thereof.

2. In a statistical machine, apparatus comprising a set-up mechanism including columns of set-up members of which the set-up members of each column are displaceable relatively one to the other to represent data sensed from a statistical record card, a first and a second column of testing elements successively to test each column of set-up members and simultaneously to test adjoining columns of set-up members, a support for the testing elements, means to move the support stepwise to bring the two columns of testing elements into testing relation with successive columns of set-up members, actuating means to effect relative movement between the testing elements and the set-up members to effect a testing operation, a device operable subsequently to each testing operation of said first and second columns, a first conditioning means co-operating with said second column for operation thereby to condition said device to perform a first function thereof subsequent to each said testing operation, a second conditioning means co-operating with said device to condition it to perform a second function thereof simultaneously with a first function thereof, angularly movable bails carried by said support, at least one bail actuator coupling a bail with a predetermined one of the testing elementsof said first column, and an impulse transmitter co-operating with each said bail and said second conditioning means and operable on actuation of the bail to condition said device to perform simultaneously said two functions thereof.

3. In a statistical machine, apparatus comprising a set-up mechanism including columns of set-up members of which the set-up members of each column are displaceable relatively one to the other to represent data sensed from a statistical record card, a punch unit including a first and a second row of punches arranged one in advance of the other respectively to punch in a tape dataindicating perforations and shift signals, tape-feeding means to feed the tape step by step to the punch unit, a first column of testing elements to test a column of set-up members thereby to vary operation of the tape-feeding means and to control conditioning of said second row of punches, a second column of testing elements to test a column of set-up members adjoining that tested by said first column of testing elements and to transmit data for recording on the tape by said first row of punches, a support for the testing elements, means to move the support stepwise to bring the two columns of testing elements into testing relation with successive columns of set-up members, actuating means simultaneously to effect relative movement between said two columns of testing elements and the set-up members to effect a testing operation, angularly movable bails carried by the support, at least one bail actuator coupling a bail with a predetermined one of the testing elements of said first column thereof, an impulse transmitter for each said bail and operable thereby to transmit an impulse, selector mechanism operated by impulses transmitted thereto by said transmitter, and control means operable by said selector mechanism simultaneously to condition said second row of punches for a punching operation and to vary the operation of the tape-feeding means to cause said means to effect a two-step feeding operation on the tape preparatory to a simultaneous punching operation by said first and second rows of p1 1nches.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the tapefeeding means includes a pinwheel to engage in the tape perforations by which the tape is fed stepwise, a ratchet wheel to effect stepwise angular movement of the pinwheel, a feed pawl co-operating with the ratchet wheel to effect angular movement thereof, a pawl-carrying arm rockable about the axis of the ratchet wheel and supporting the feed pawl, a continuously reciprocated link cooperating with the pawl-carrying arm to effect rocking movement thereof, a lost-motion device connecting said link and pawl-carrying arm, and a normally active latch co-operating with said feed pawl to permit'the pawl to effect single-tooth feeding of the ratchet wheel and operable by said control means to effect a two-tooth feeding of the ratchet wheel.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control means includes a plurality of paddle elements, a spindle having the paddles secured thereto for angular movement therewith, said paddle elements being equi-spaced about the axis of the spindle and alternate ones shaped to condition predetermined ones of the punches of said second row, two toothed members secured to said spindle and spaced apart axially thereof with their teeth displaced angularly in relation one member to the other, an operating pawl for each toothed member, a continuously oscillated actuator for each operating pawl rendered active by an impulse transmitted by a predetermined one of the impulse transmitting means and at other times effecting idle oscillations, a trip cam secured to said spindle for angular movement therewith, and a trip arm connecting said trip cam and latch to effect movement of the latch to the inactive position thereof.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the selector mechanism includes code bars settable by said impulse transmitting means, testing bars to test the positions of the code bars, an interponent carried by each testing bar and movable therewith for co-operation with a predetermined one of said pawl actuators to render it active, a restoring member common to said testing bars, an operating member common to said pawl actuators, continuously operable operating means common to said restoring member and operating member, and a restoring element operable in timed relation with said operating means to restore an activated interponent to the inactive position thereof.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, including a plurality of pivoted levers one for each punch of said second row for actuation by said paddle elements, a toothed interponent pivoted to and depending from each said pivoted lever for interpolation thereby between a punch and an operating member therefor, and a latch to engage the toothed interponent in the interpolated position thereof.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, including a plurality of pivoted levers one for each punch of said second row for actuation by said paddle elements, a toothed interponent pivoted to and depending from each said pivoted lever for interpolation thereby between a punch and an operating member therefor, and a latch to engage the toothed interponent in the interpolated position thereof.

9. In a statistical machine, apparatus comprising a setup mechanism including columns of set-up members of which the set-up members of each column are displaceable relatively one to the other to represent data sensed from a statistical record card, a punch unit including a row of data-perforating punches and a row of shift signal-perforating punches arranged one in advance of the other respectively to punch in a tape data-indicating perforations and shift signals, tape-feeding means to feed the tape step by step to the punches, a first and a second column of testing elements supported for movement successively to test each column of set-up members and simultaneously to test adjoining columns of set-up members, means to move the testing elements stepwise to bring the two columns of testing elements into testing relation with successive columns of set-up members, actuating means to efiect relative movement between the testing elements and the set-up members to effect a testing operation, a punch actuator operable to effect operation of said punches, data punch interponents controlled by said second column of testing elements for interpolation between the punch actuator and punches of said row of data-perforating punches, and shift signal interponents controlled by said first column of testing elements for interpolation between the punch actuator and the shift signal perforating punches thereby to permit the simultaneous punching in the tape of a shift signal and data-indicating perforations next succeeding the shift signal.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, including selector mechanism located between said punches and testing elements and operatively connected with said first column of testing elements, and control means operatively connected with the selector means, the shift signal interponents, and the tape-feeding means simultaneously to effect said interpolation of the shift signal interponents and to vary the operation of the tape-feeding means to cause said tape-feeding means to effect a two-step feeding operation of the tape preparatory to a simultaneous punching operation by the data-perforating and shift signal-perforating punches.

ll. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the tapefeeding means includes a pinwheel to engage in the tape perforations by which the tape is fed stepwise, a ratchet wheel to eifect stepwise angular movement of the pinwheel, a feed pawl co-operating with the ratchet wheel to effect angular movement thereof, a pawl-carrying arm rockable about the axis of the ratchet wheel and supporting the feed pawl, a continuously reciprocated link cooperating with the pawl-carrying arm to effect rocking movement thereof, a lost motion device connecting said link and pawl-carrying arm, and a normally active latch co-operating with said feed pawl to permit the pawl to effect single-tooth feeding of the ratchet wheel and operable by said control means to effect a two-tooth feeding of the ratchet wheel.

l2. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control means includes a plurality of paddle elements, a spindle having the paddles secured thereto for angular movement therewith, said paddle elements being equi-spaced about the axis of the spindle and alternate ones shaped to effect said interpolation of predetermined ones of the shift signal interponents, two toothed members secured to said spindle and spaced apart axially thereof with their teeth displaced angularly in relation one member to the other, an operating pawl for each toothed member, a continuously oscillated actuator for each operating pawl normally effecting idle oscillations and rendered active under control of said first column of testing elements, a trip cam secured to said spindle for angular movement therewith, and a trip arm connecting said trip cam and latch to effect movement of the latch to the inactive position thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,506,382 Peirce Aug. 26, 1924 1,785,999 Bryce Dec. 23, 1930 2,340,800 Doty Feb. 1, 1944 2,346,268 Mills et al Apr. 11, 1944 

